The Five-Forty-Eight Quizzes

The Five-Forty-Eight Quiz: "The Five-Forty-Eight"

1 Where does Blake first catch sight of Miss Dent?
In the reflection of a shop window

At the train platform

Stepping out of the elevator in the lobby of his office building

Sitting across from him on the train
2 What is the weather at the start of story?
Sunny

Cloudy

Rainy

Stormy
3 What is in the shop window that Blake peers into on the street?
An empty kitchen

An empty bedroom

An empty living room

A fake garden
4 What emotion does Blake feel when he notices Miss Dent is still following him?
Fear

Happiness

Anger

Contempt
5 How does Blake try to lose Miss Dent?
By boarding the train

By heading back for his office

By ordering a drink at a men's bar

By buying a coffee ring
6 What does Blake think Miss Dent's intentions are?
State secrets

Money

Violence

Sex
7 How did Blake originally meet Miss Dent?
He hired her as his secretary.

She was his boss.

He met her at a bar.

He ran into her in the office elevator.
8 What was the one thing Blake objected to about Miss Dent as a secretary?
Her strange handwriting

Her tone of voice

Her appearance

Her punctuality
9 How long did Blake and Miss Dent know each other before their affair?
Three months

One year

Three weeks

Three days
10 Why did Blake feel that there would be no consequences for sleeping with Miss Dent?
He trusted her.

She was about to leave the country.

She had low self-esteem.

It was a one-time affair.
11 What was Miss Dent's immediate reaction to sleeping with Blake?
She quit her job.

She wept.

She asked questions about his wife.

She was content.
12 Why did Blake miss the express train?
He was waiting in the bar to escape Miss Dent.

He had to go back to the office.

The express came early that evening.

Miss Dent accosted him.
13 Why did Blake and Louise quarrel recently?
Blake wanted a divorce.

Louise wanted to get a job.

Louise had found out about one of his affairs.

Blake had come home to find his wife drinking gin instead of getting supper ready for him.
14 Why doesn't Mrs. Compton like Blake?
Louise tells Mrs. Compton about their marriage troubles.

Mrs. Compton thinks Blake's house is ugly.

Mrs. Compton doesn't like Louise.

They had an affair once.
15 What is the quarrel between Mr. Watkins and Blake?
Blake and Mr. Watkins just don't get along.

Mrs. Watkins and Blake had an affair.

Mr. Watkins had an affair with Louise.

Blake's son, Charlie, was spending too much time at the Watkins' house.
16 How does Blake feel when he settles into his seat on the train?
Alert and fearful

Angry

Sleepy

Comforted and safe
17 How does Miss Dent get Blake to stay seated on the train?
She threatens to scream.

She threatens to shoot him with her pistol.

She threatens to tell his wife about their affair.

She asks him politely.
18 Why hasn't Miss Dent mailed her letter to Blake?
She wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to send it or not.

She has been editing and revising it all week.

She has been too sick to go to the post office.

She wanted to deliver it in person.
19 What does Miss Blake say the hospital wanted to do to her?
Put her out of work

Cure her

Take away her self-respect

Hurt her
20 What is the emotion Blake feels for the first time in his adult life as he is held captive on the train by Miss Dent?
Regret

Sadness

Fear

Happiness
21 What does Miss Dent tell Blake to do on the train?
Give her money

Take off his hat

Read her letter

Get off the train
22 How does Miss Dent refer to Blake in her letter?
"Enemy"

"Husband"

"Boss"

"Lover"
23 How does Blake feel about the train environment by the time he gets off?
He hardly notices it.

He finds it terrifying.

He finds it claustrophobic.

He still finds it comforting.
24 What does Miss Dent tell Blake to do in the dirt?
Run

Kneel

Eat it

Lie down
25 What does Miss Dent do at the very end of the story?
Leave Blake alone

Kill Blake

Make Blake promise not to tell anyone about her

Call the police

As the story continues, Blake’s character is gradually revealed. Describe his personality, using evidence from the story

Mr. Blake is a business man who holds an important enough executive position to warrant having a private secretary. He is petty and snobbish and almost certainly suffering some manner of a personality disorder dependent on an elevated level of...

Asked by Sidney G #968205

Answered by Aslan on 1/10/2020 12:37 AM

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To what is the title referencing? To what is the title's significance?

The Five-Forty-Eight is a reference to the train Blake caught to take home. It reminds Blake of the bomb shelters in the not so distant past, and it metaphorically represents the "bomb" that will go off in the train..... Miss Dent's emotional...

Asked by kimberly s #929112

Answered by jill d #170087 on 9/16/2019 10:11 AM

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Do you think what happens to Blake at the end changes him? Why or why not?

In my opinion, Blake will definitely take more time and excercise caution when hiring personal employees. He might also have learned to extend a little generosity before firing someone.... maybe finding out what they're really like. In the end,...

Asked by Rachel T #627543

Answered by jill d #170087 on 3/20/2017 3:10 AM

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The Five-Forty-Eight

by John Cheever

The Five-Forty-Eight Quiz: "The Five-Forty-Eight"

The Five-Forty-Eight Questions and Answers

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